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Competitions


The Sow's Ear has two annual contests - the chapbook competition and the poetry competition.  Contests are judged by poets with national reputations. 

Send all contest submissions to:

Robert G. Lesman, Managing Editor
P.O. Box 127
Millwood, VA 22646

Make checks payable to Sow's Ear Poetry Review.




March-April: CHAPBOOK COMPETITION

Award - Publication, $1000, 25 copies, and distribution to subscribers

Chapbook Competition Guidelines: Open to adults.  Send 22-26 pages of poetry plus a title page and a table of contents, all without your name.  On a separate sheet list chapbook title, your name, address, phone number, e-mail address if available, and publication credits for submitted poems, if any.  No length limit on poems, but no more than one poem on a page.  Send in March or April. Postmark deadline May 1st.  Simultaneous  submission is allowed, but if your chapbook is accepted elsewhere, you must withdraw promptly from our competition.  Poems previously published are acceptable if you hold publication rights.  Reading fee is $27.  Send SASE or e-mail address for notification.  Entries will not be returned.  The reading fee includes a complimentary one-year subscription to the Review.




September-October: POETRY COMPETITION

Award - $1000, publication, and the option of publication for approximately twenty finalists

Judge in 2010 is X. J. Kennedy.

Poetry Competition Guidelines: Open to adults.  Send unpublished poems to the address above.  Please DO NOT put your name on poems.  Include a separate sheet with poem titles, name, address, phone, and e-mail address if available.  No length limit on poems.  Simultaneous submission acceptable.  (We will check with finalists before sending to final judge.)  Send poems in September or October.  Postmark deadline Nov. 1st.  Include self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) for notification, which we will try to send in January.  Entries will not be returned.  Entry fee is $27 for up to five poems.  The reading fee includes a complimentary one-year subscription to the Review.




Past Poetry Competition judges have included:

Kelly Cherry2009
Eleanor Wilner2008
Marge Piercy2007
Linda Pastan
2006
Gregory Orr
2005
Robert Siegel
2004
Elizabeth Spires 2003
Vivian Shipley 2002
Dabney Stuart 2001
Molly Peacock 2000
Henry Taylor 1999
Maggie Anderson 1998
Robert Morgan 1997
Betsy Sholl 1996
Rodney Jones 1995
David Huddle 1994
Josephine Jacobsen 1993
Dave Smith 1992
Amy Clampitt 1991
Fred Chappell 1990




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Last updated 3/10.